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Forest Green Rovers' wooden stadium plan 'not sustainable'

Zaha Hadid Architects New FGR stadiumZaha Hadid Architects
The new stadium will be made entirely from wood and built on land within Eastington parish

Plans for a new 5,000-seater all-wooden football stadium still have "fundamental issues with no clear resolution", it has been claimed.

League Two club Forest Green Rovers' new ground would be built on land near junction 13 of the M5 near Stroud.

Planners at Stroud District Council recommended the plans for approval, but Eastington Parish Council said it had a number of objections.

It said noise would be a problem and the travel plan was "not sustainable".

The application will be decided by a meeting of Stroud District Council's planning committee on Wednesday.

Plans also include a car park for 1,700 vehicles, two grass training pitches and a goal training area.

Detailing their objections on the parish council website, Eastington Parish Council also noted the stadium application was only considering 5,000 seats but the building was designed to take an additional 5,000.

The parish council also claimed:

  • At almost 20m, the highest part of the site will detract from the setting of several historic hamlets in the parish
  • The loss of existing landscaping and ecological value is not sufficiently avoided or mitigated
  • The proposed £7 car parking charge will see cars parking on verges and estate roads to avoid the charge
The view from the centre spot of the proposed Forest Green Rovers stadium

The winning design for the proposed stadium, from architect Zaha Hadid, was announced in 2016.

Forest Green Rovers was named the "greenest football club in the world" last year.

The club's current ground in Nailsworth is powered by renewable energy, recycles rain water and serves vegan food to players, staff and fans.